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indolentfop's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape
leigh_47's review against another edition
5.0
I loved "How to Lose a Duke in Ten Days." The title makes it sound like a nonsense book, but it's full of serious themes. I believed Edie and Stuart, and I believed their (emotional/heartbreaking/sweet) journey.
Epilogue: I realize this was to set up the next book (which I immediately began), but I wish it hadn't been in there. I would have enjoyed having Edie's sister home for a holiday as a different epilogue.
Epilogue: I realize this was to set up the next book (which I immediately began), but I wish it hadn't been in there. I would have enjoyed having Edie's sister home for a holiday as a different epilogue.
wallflowerreader_l's review against another edition
3.0
3,5
First, TW for Rape.
Hmm, then, I'm not really sure how to go with this review. Let's say I really enjoyed the writing and the beginning of the story was promising. Then, I don't know if it's because of the mood I was in but I had a hard time continuing. The blurb sounded really appealing but I found that the reason for the Hero to come back home didn't make much sense to me (it kind of did at the end, though). There was just something lacking in the plot for me that made for a flat middle of the book.
But I really enjoyed the ending and the Hero had one of the best dialogues. However, something the heroine said about what she went through felt a bit disturbing to me at the end.
I'm very aware that I'm blabbing all my thoughts here and it might make no sense SO, to sum up, I enjoyed the beginning and ending of the book, I lost interest in the middle though. I kind of liked the Hero but didn't connect with the heroine at all. Still, I had a nice enough time reading their love story.
First, TW for Rape.
Hmm, then, I'm not really sure how to go with this review. Let's say I really enjoyed the writing and the beginning of the story was promising. Then, I don't know if it's because of the mood I was in but I had a hard time continuing. The blurb sounded really appealing but I found that the reason for the Hero to come back home didn't make much sense to me (it kind of did at the end, though). There was just something lacking in the plot for me that made for a flat middle of the book.
But I really enjoyed the ending and the Hero had one of the best dialogues. However, something the heroine said about what she went through felt a bit disturbing to me at the end.
I'm very aware that I'm blabbing all my thoughts here and it might make no sense SO, to sum up, I enjoyed the beginning and ending of the book, I lost interest in the middle though. I kind of liked the Hero but didn't connect with the heroine at all. Still, I had a nice enough time reading their love story.
ameretet's review against another edition
2.0
this book is one big ass trigger.
Really sad I spent money on it. :(
Really sad I spent money on it. :(
tessisreading2's review against another edition
4.0
Can I take a moment to complain about the title of this book? The recent trend towards cutesy titles is kind of a blight on the genre. "How To Win a Duke in Ten Days" makes it sound like, well, a Regency-set Kate Hudson movie. It is not. This is deep, dramatic, swoonworthy romance. It starts with the hero essentially on his deathbed in Africa. The heroine Yes, there is a matchmaking younger sister, but for the most part this book takes its characters and its romance seriously. It's just a total tone mismatch between book/title.
This is just a really nice book. No major surprises, but the author takes her characters and their decisions seriously. She makes effective use of flashbacks to introduce us to the characters and their reasons for making a marriage; she sketches them out well enough that their decisions make sense. They are both good, nice people who deserve to be happy, and the relationship issues tossed in their way are realistic and make sense. When all I can think of to complain about is "well, the heroine seems a little richer than she necessarily needs to be," you're doing pretty well. One issue at the end that I could see presenting a problem for some readers which was not a problem for me: I didn't really see this as reflecting a lack of agency or anything but if is something you need from books which address this topic, then you will not find it here. Additionally, there should be trigger warnings all over the place; there are some straightforwardly graphic descriptions of sexual assault and the aftermath.
Spoiler
has frequent flashbacks to a sexual assault.This is just a really nice book. No major surprises, but the author takes her characters and their decisions seriously. She makes effective use of flashbacks to introduce us to the characters and their reasons for making a marriage; she sketches them out well enough that their decisions make sense. They are both good, nice people who deserve to be happy, and the relationship issues tossed in their way are realistic and make sense. When all I can think of to complain about is "well, the heroine seems a little richer than she necessarily needs to be," you're doing pretty well. One issue at the end that I could see presenting a problem for some readers which was not a problem for me:
Spoiler
the hero, with help from his friends, oversees the heroine's rapist's ruin and eventual suicide. There is no input from the heroine and she doesn't get any sort of revenge, really, unless you consider living well to be the best revenge.Spoiler
the heroine being the one to exact some sort of revengeballetbookworm's review against another edition
4.0
The Laura Lee Gurhke for me. I like her plot and concept. Handled Edie's story very well. Now I need to go back and pick up the previous in the series.
bookworm_anna's review against another edition
2.0
The vaguely forcing himself on her aspect made me uncomfortable. For the trauma she'd suffered, I'd hope that he'd earn her trust other ways than besides trying to always kiss her or make advances.
mdalida's review against another edition
5.0
I swear I wrote a review. And now it's Gone! I don't know how, and I don't think I could recall all the favorite things about this story. I'm writing this now after having read the series, and I can say that this one is my favorite.
Trigger warning: past sexual assault, flashbacks
I did appreciate the way the author wrote about reliving past sexual assault and how that impacts current intimacy fears. I appreciated how Stuart responded and persisted. I loved it all so much, I'm changing my initial 4 star review to a 5 star one. I probably should revisit reviews a few days after the initial review because letting this story simmer a little has made me realize how much I've been thinking on this story after I finished it.
Trigger warning: past sexual assault, flashbacks
I did appreciate the way the author wrote about reliving past sexual assault and how that impacts current intimacy fears. I appreciated how Stuart responded and persisted. I loved it all so much, I'm changing my initial 4 star review to a 5 star one. I probably should revisit reviews a few days after the initial review because letting this story simmer a little has made me realize how much I've been thinking on this story after I finished it.
vicrine's review against another edition
3.0
6/10 I would like to have had a better comeuppance for the villain.